The skyline around Bang Sue Central Station wears a shroud of smog yesterday morning. Dust rising from construction sites is blamed as one of the major factors contributing to the city’s worsening air pollution.Nation / Tatchadon Panyaphanitkul

Air pollution blankets capital for third day in a row, with prospects of prolonged unhealthy air quality levels

AUTHORITIES MUST take the air pollution problem in Bangkok seriously and strictly enforce mitigation measures to protect people’s health, academics said, while warning of serious financial costs to match.

They pointed out that the country would face billions of baht in additional health costs unless the severe air pollution blanketing the capital was promptly curbed.

The pollution continued to remain at harmful levels for the third straight day yesterday and the situation was likely to remain critical for at least another month due to weather patterns, said Witsanu Attavanich, associate professor of economics at Kasetsart University.